The figures for area and population are taken from the Demography of the Historic Counties report. The county is traditionally divided into five districts: Buchan, Formartine, Garioch, Mar and Strathbogie. In the far north-east of the shire, north of the Ythan, lies the traditional area of Buchan.
Six miles south of Peterhead, are the Bullers of Buchan โ a basin in which the sea, entering by a natural arch, boils up violently in stormy weather. The "nine castles of the Knuckle" are a group of ancient castles around the Buchan coast, the "north-eastern knuckle of Scotland". The town of Turriff lies inland on the River Deveron, close to the border with Banffshire. It's impressive Seton tower, which forms the entrance, was erected in by Alexander Seton.
South of the Ythan is the traditional district of Formartine. It has a sandy coast, which is succeeded inland by a clayey, fertile, tilled tract, and then by low hills, moors, mosses and tilled land. Ellon, on the Ythan, includes the ruins of the 16th century Ellon Castle. The Auld Brig is a category A listed bridge across the Ythan, built in A castle has stood on the site of nearby Delgatie Castle since although the earliest parts of the castle standing today date from the 16th century.
The Gordons, later the Earls of Aberdeen and Marquesses of Aberdeen, have lived on the site for over years. Pitmedden Garden NTS is an historic garden noted for its geoemtric parterres which vary in shape from a thistle to Sir Alexander Seton's coat of arms. The Garioch is the traditional area at the centre of the shire. The rural parts are centred on the market town of Inverurie whose foundation dates back to the 9th century with the establishment of Christianity at Polnar, "The Kirk of Rocharl" - now St Andrew's Parish Church.
South lies the county town, Aberdeen and the River Dee, the lower reaches of which form its southern border with Kincardineshire. Aberdeen is home to one of the four ancient universities of Scotland.
